Thank so much... I’m glad you got something out of it and welcome. I’ve been taking a little hiatus for RUclips but I already have some new content ready to go!
Yes!!!! For me 7/8 and trying to play to a metronome and it’s 1+ 2+ 323 with eighth notes and I was struggling with the 7th eighth and how it lands I knew you could treat it similar to 4/4 but it’s that missing eighth. And now I understand you can still use the 4th quarter note beat and just treat it like it has an imaginary 1/8 rest.
I woke up today confused as hell because I struggled with time signatures but now I have a much better understanding. youtube videos like this are a godsend
Im a drummer and drum teacher of many years and my approach to teaching odd times has been through the lenght of the composition melody. I show that the meter exists because the melody only lasts a certain amount of beats and then so the drum beat needs to be a groove that both matches the math of the melody its playing for but also has rhythmic accentuations that compliment the odd meter melody in question. What this drummer and his lesson here though does better than mybprior teaching attempts is that he considers bthe drum students experience in dealing with odd meters and he offers an approach that facilitates quicker understanding. My flaw so far so was to lean on melody alone and wxpect my students to learn the melody and then figurebout the beat for the odd time. This drum teacher though has a more considerate approach and it allows the student a sense of control of the measure more immediately. I like this lesson snr im happy to point my odd meter students to watch this video after their next class with me. Its a nice and clear approach and one I hadnt thought of tor my students prior. im learning too still it seems and this video will be recommended to my students learning odd meter this course. Thanks for the lesson, I appreciate it alwo
Sorry, I lost you after 'math of the melody'. I think you should take Jay's approach moving forwards. Drumming shouldn't be about math, it should be about feel :)
I used to count using numbers but as soon as I learned the South Indian counting system (Konnekol) if that’s the correct spelling, I fell in love with it and it made a lot more musical sense to me. Especially for odd time signatures. 5 / 8 for example can be counted several way depending on the rhythm and feel you want. 3+2 or 2+3 or 1+4 or 4+1 or simply 5. Ta-ki-da+ta-ka or Ta-ka-ta-ki-da or ta-ka-Di-mi+ta or ta+ta-ka-Di-mi or ta-ki-ghi-na-ton. This creates a mantra and you are engulfed by the rhythm allowing you to flow and make music. Plenty of people giving examples but off the top of my head Pete Lockett steps up. Keep practicing and stay safe.
ibleasse ...that is an amazing system. I once saw a clinic with trilok gurtu... He had that system locked down. Simply amazing... It’s something I have not studied yet, but would love to explore.
Very helpful for my younger students! I used to overthink like crazy, but I found that when I clear my mind and just let my hands go to work I'm spot on. When I think about what I'm doing, that's when I start dropping fills and screwing up easy stuff.
It certainly works... My challenge with thinking in 7 is having to translate all the rhythmic vocabulary to something in 7... which doesn't come easily to a lot of drummers. There's a disconnect. But, by all means though... if it works for you... then do it.
Oh. My. Gosh. You are the first person to explain odd time signatures that actually makes sense. I don't think that previous sentence made a great deal of sense but... LOL. I overthink my English grammar sometimes! But, seriously, thank you!!
Another great lesson Jay! I find your teaching principles are very easy for me to follow. I've always tended to break down odd time signatures into smaller chunks i.e. 1-2 1-2 1-2-3 for seven. But I definitely dig your approach, it's a very cool method. Counting odd time while still feeling that common time pulse. Very cool method!
Absolutely and Thank you! There are many ways to feel it... So there is nothing wrong with subdivided and sometimes that makes more sense. But this is the way I like the best. It makes the odd-meter not seem so intimidating so I can focus more on making music instead of counting.
Thank you I've always had a hard way of dissecting odd time signatures. I now have to knowledge and purpose to use constant repetition to learn odd times.
Really great breakdown. It's strange how with drumming you can take a time signature or beat, rudiment, whatever. And all it takes is a slight adjustment in the way you think about it and it just CLICKS. And then you're like 'why was I struggling with this?' 😁
Thank you very much sir!!! I have never even took the time to learn about time signatures. Mainly out of fear, but thank you so much for this great lesson. It is started to make sense to me and am excited to add this to my repertoire.
I was taught early on to break odd time signatures into their smallest pieces: twos and threes. I feel it helps when tracks start moving quicker to feel the pulses this way. Love how you approach it, too!
I often play odd times but just didn’t know what they were Like Pink Floyd Money and some jazz tunes, but having learning disabilities and slightly dyslexic with ADD makes it a little challenging for me to figure out, but this did help me a little! Thanks plus I had a late start playing drums more frequently, I’m 70-years young😄🤘🏻🥁
This is exactly how I think about odd time signatures. 29/16 is super fun. Weirdly enough I relate it to 7/8. It’s like adding a 32nd note to the last beat of a 7/8 bar. So one first needs to feel the 7/8 like a 4/4 as you explained. In that respect it would be like a bar of 4/4 with 3 less 32nd notes. But it’s all dependent on the tempo. You just play the tempo that matches up to a normal feel just like you did when you matched the 7/8 to 4/4.
Thanks for the tip. Its also cool that if you keep the quarter note going over the bar line with either of these odd times, the quarter note always plays on the down beat the first time around and on the upbeat the second time around.
Nice that you made a video about odd time signatures. I play, sing and dance a lot to music with an odd time signature (mostly Greek music). Just for your information. Dancers indeed often count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 with music in 4/4, but this covers 2 measures (bars), so the first measure is 1, 2, 3, 4 and the next measure is 5, 6, 7, 8. Salsa music is mostly written in 4/4, but in that case the clave is written over two bars. To dance correctly to salsa music, you need to know where the clave starts. Otherwise a dancing figure can start at the wrong moment, so for example not at the start of the chorus. Salsa (on one) dancers often count 1, 2, 3, -, 5, 6, 7, - , because they mostly don't step on the counts 4 and 8. The Viennese waltz is in 3/4, but dancers count mostly 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 over two measures. I like how you change 4/4 to 7/8, since then you start from a time signature that everybody knows and a little later you can play in 7/8. However, the next step is to learn about grouping. If you see 7/8 as 4/4 with the end of count 4 deleted, you will always end up with the grouping 2-2-3, because you are used to the accent on count 3 in 4/4 time, since 4/4 is grouped 2-2. Converting 4/4 to 8/8 gives the grouping 4-4. Removing 1/8 gives the grouping 4-3 and thus 2-2-3. A lot of 7/8 music (for example Kalamatianos) is grouped 3-2-2. When you want to play along to music with an odd time signature, it is very important to understand what the grouping is. This is often very easy to hear, since you hear an accent at the start of each group and the first group has the biggest accent. You can count easily 7/8 with a 3-2-2 grouping by counting 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 1, 2. Everytime that you say 1, there is an accent. Of course you know this, but just for other people that read this.
Absolutely... And thanks for thought process for "dancers" ... Very intersting. As far as groupings... as in 223... vs 322 or 232... all of these are important depending on the situation, and style of music. That is, if the music itself is grouped that way. But it's not true for EVERY situation. I've played Greek weddings where the accents are heavily pushing those groups... in that situation it's great... but if you are in, say a funkier jazz vibe, those groups are not necessarily where the time is felt. So you have to pick your spots. Thanks for that awesome breakdown!
Thanks for your fast reply. Yes, you are right, depending on the music, the accents can also be at different places. Nice that you have also played at Greek weddings! My favorite Greek rhythm is Zeibekiko which is mostly in 9/4 (grouping mostly 2-2-2-3). Keep up the good work!
@@dansblad …yes… it was tough. I was subbing for a friend… I was reading the whole time. There was a ton of odd times. I was honestly relieved when it was over. Lol
@@Thedrummersalmanac That was brave of you! When you are not familiar with Greek music, it is difficult. Probably you have also played "Ωραία που είναι η νύφη μας", which is a famous Greek wedding song (Kalamatianos, 7/8, 3-2-2). And yes, in Greek music, 4/4 is the exception. When I started learning Greek rhythms, it was hard. Luckily now it feels as normal as 4/4 and I have learned (just like you) that odd time signatures are not difficult. It is just that you have to get used to them.
@@dansblad …like anything, right!? with time, it becomes comfortable. I probably did that song… I couldn’t really tell ya now. All I know is… I got through it.
@@Thedrummersalmanac You bet I did. Helps a lot. I usually break odd time sigs into groups of 2's, 3's, and 4's depending on the time sig, but your idea gives a different perspective on the beat accent and way of thinking about it. Thanks.
You can find odd times in every genre... Check out Sting's 10 Summoners Tales. There's a tune called "St. Augustine in Hell" and tune "Love Is Stronger Than Justice" ...both in 7/8. If you wanna rock out a little bit more... Alice in Chains has a tune called "Them Bones" that is in 7/8. If you go more progressive there are tons of Rush tunes like "Subdivisions" and "Tom Sawyer."
A lot of Greek music is in 7/8. Here are some examples that you can find easily on RUclips. Καλαματιανός (3-2-2) θαλασσάκι μου - Γιάννης Πάριος Μήλο μου κόκκινο - Γλυκερία Βάρκα στο γυαλό - Κωστής Μαραβέγιας Παράπονό μου - Νίκος Βέρτης Παραμύθι με λυπημένο τέλος - Μίλτος Πασχαλίδης Τικ τρομαχτόν (2-2-3) Σο χορόν το τρομαχτό - Κώστας Καραπαναγιωτίδης Σο κιφαλιμ κατ’ λαλεί - Στάθης Νικολαΐδης If you like more modern music in odd time, you can search for Zeibekiko songs. The Zeibekiko is very popular in Greece. It is mostly in 9/4 (mostly 2-2-2-3). Here are some examples, but you can find hundreds more by searching "zeibekika mix" in RUclips. Keep in mind that there exist a lot of different Zeibekiko styles. Ζεϊμπέκικο (2-2-2-3) Φεύγοντας - Πασχάλης Τερζής Μέχρι το τέλος - Νατάσσα Μποφίλιου Μη με ρωτάτε - Νότης Σφακιανάκης Φεγγάρι - Νατάσα Θεοδωρίδου Εγώ τα σπάω - Πέγκυ Ζήνα Παλιόκαιρος - Πασχάλης Τερζής
Great lesson. I play some songs from heart, the endings go into a "weird" section. Need help desciphering an odd time section and how to get through it. Thanks again!
Are you sure that 4/4 and 8/8 are the same just because they have the same amount of 8th notes. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the pulse of 8/8 time 2 compound beats and one simple beat?
I alway been into drum and bass (I apologise, it was the 90s raves). I always used to count. My question is do you really count? After a while so t you just feel the time and the counting is just intuitive and just felt by the music. Obviously I'm not an expert but I genuinely do not need to count, is this normal? I've never been taught about music it just natural, I think all teachers over complicate timing. Am I off here?
I'm just getting into drumming and notes/time sigs so forgive me here but as I understand it, all of these fractions and numbers are primarily a language simply used to communicate drum beats. That's it. The actual playing has nothing to do with it. I mean, who doesn't understand the concept of a beat and how it can go faster or slower and be consistent and organized? You are interchanging time signatures here as a way of simplifying them so as to get the player to focus more on the actual playing rather than getting stuck on the language. And that is great and all, as I can certainly relate to the problem of overthinking and loosing the essence of what you're actually trying to do - play a nice beat (your dancing reference is appropriate as dancers also can get stuck in their heads and loose the basic joy of dancing). But wouldn't all of this interchanging and adaptation make it so that you've rendered the language that's supposed to be able to communicate playing the drums, in the absence of actually playing the drums, useless? And so, then what's the point of the language? Again, I'm just starting out but this is my take.
Not at all... the language is not meant to be "complicated" for the sake of being complicated. If you look at classical music... there are odd time, mixed meter phrased and measures all over the place. they are there to serve the music. The moral of this lesson is basically to not approach an Odd Time signature with the mindset that "It's complicated" or "it's Difficult" ...If you do... that's how it will feel to you and sound to everyone else.
I never understood the problem... I just feel it... yes, you have to have a grip on things so you can have a conversation with your guitarist, but throw it at me and I get it. Hope that saved someone 15 minutes, because this video made it seem more complicated
Here’s the challenge with that... coming here and basically saying “I’m very talented so I don’t see the problem.” Assumes everyone else is just like you. That’s not how drums work. People that are super talented are The exception not the rule. When I get a student that’s super talented, great! But most people have to break it down. 😉
The only real difference between 7/8 and 7/4 is what it looks like on paper because Time signature has nothing to do with tempo. But an easier way to think about it is... if you play the two time signatures back to back at the same tempo. Then your count would double when you get to 7/8. It’s the same relationship between 4/4 and 8/8 in my example in this video. One measure of 7/4 is the same amount of time as 2 measures of 7/8.
What if I told you... I'm still fucking confused. What if I told you... What you're telling me is going over my head What if I told you... I'm a fucking idiot
Me to band on saying this is 4 to the floor :"Really?! Do I have to?" "No actually it's 13/8 actually - it's Prog dude we use fours ironically - got yer" Me: - smile - A*******s!
8/8 is not equal to 4/4 . Its an odd time meter and it has 3 accents and countains two compound beats and one simple beat and it counts like this : 123 123 12 or 123 12 123 or ...
8/8 is absolutely equal to 4/4. You can break it up as you did, but who said it HAS to be. Likewise. 4/4 can be felt just like that: 1&2 &3& 4& or 1&2 &3 &4& ...either way the only thing that is different is what you are physically counting. Time signatures are not rhythm. No time signature if absolute. They can all be interpreted and anything can be written or counted in any time signature. People just tend to use the most obvious and logical ones.
Excellent breakdown and explanation of 5/7/9! I use this exact method to teach odd times! I also use this method of using 4/4 as the model for other time signatures as well! Great video, subscribed!
Thanks for the Sub! Yeah... I think the biggest issue with drummers and Odd times is this head, where they make it so complicated and difficult... they put things like 7/8 on this technical pedestal.
This video single-handedly solved YEARS of overcomplicating time signatures. Thank you. Definitely subbed.
Thank so much... I’m glad you got something out of it and welcome. I’ve been taking a little hiatus for RUclips but I already have some new content ready to go!
Yes!!!! For me 7/8 and trying to play to a metronome and it’s 1+ 2+ 323 with eighth notes and I was struggling with the 7th eighth and how it lands
I knew you could treat it similar to 4/4 but it’s that missing eighth.
And now I understand you can still use the 4th quarter note beat and just treat it like it has an imaginary 1/8 rest.
I woke up today confused as hell because I struggled with time signatures but now I have a much better understanding. youtube videos like this are a godsend
Glad to help... thanks for following
that 7/8 is so clearly explaining with a feel of 4\4 is award winning course
Im a drummer and drum teacher of many years and my approach to teaching odd times has been through the lenght of the composition melody. I show that the meter exists because the melody only lasts a certain amount of beats and then so the drum beat needs to be a groove that both matches the math of the melody its playing for but also has rhythmic accentuations that compliment the odd meter melody in question. What this drummer and his lesson here though does better than mybprior teaching attempts is that he considers bthe drum students experience in dealing with odd meters and he offers an approach that facilitates quicker understanding. My flaw so far so was to lean on melody alone and wxpect my students to learn the melody and then figurebout the beat for the odd time. This drum teacher though has a more considerate approach and it allows the student a sense of control of the measure more immediately. I like this lesson snr im happy to point my odd meter students to watch this video after their next class with me. Its a nice and clear approach and one I hadnt thought of tor my students prior. im learning too still it seems and this video will be recommended to my students learning odd meter this course. Thanks for the lesson, I appreciate it alwo
Sorry, I lost you after 'math of the melody'. I think you should take Jay's approach moving forwards. Drumming shouldn't be about math, it should be about feel :)
I overthink everything.
I know...
Same.
That’s why we are human
Overthinking separates the body from the mind
@@thecoconutgum good one man
I used to count using numbers but as soon as I learned the South Indian counting system (Konnekol) if that’s the correct spelling, I fell in love with it and it made a lot more musical sense to me. Especially for odd time signatures. 5 / 8 for example can be counted several way depending on the rhythm and feel you want. 3+2 or 2+3 or 1+4 or 4+1 or simply 5. Ta-ki-da+ta-ka or Ta-ka-ta-ki-da or ta-ka-Di-mi+ta or ta+ta-ka-Di-mi or ta-ki-ghi-na-ton. This creates a mantra and you are engulfed by the rhythm allowing you to flow and make music. Plenty of people giving examples but off the top of my head Pete Lockett steps up. Keep practicing and stay safe.
ibleasse ...that is an amazing system. I once saw a clinic with trilok gurtu... He had that system locked down. Simply amazing... It’s something I have not studied yet, but would love to explore.
Hi this is a gold lesson! How can I contact you? Thanks
Subbed !
I wish I saw this video years ago. Best explanation I have ever seen for odd times and how to think them
I watched many videos to understand odd meter, but this is one of the best! Thank you, I subscribed :)
Thanks for the sub and welcome!
Mosdef the best odd time video 😎
Very helpful for my younger students! I used to overthink like crazy, but I found that when I clear my mind and just let my hands go to work I'm spot on. When I think about what I'm doing, that's when I start dropping fills and screwing up easy stuff.
COOL I NEED THIS LESSON THANKS
Nice... I hope it helps
Great advice. I’ve never heard anyone explain it that way. Appreciate the vid brotha
Good lesson. Here's another way for faster tempos, I think it was Dave Weckl that does a half time count, so in 7/8 you would count 1.3.5..1.3.5..etc.
It certainly works... My challenge with thinking in 7 is having to translate all the rhythmic vocabulary to something in 7... which doesn't come easily to a lot of drummers. There's a disconnect. But, by all means though... if it works for you... then do it.
I have watched a few video's about odd meter signature, but this is by far the clearest explanation I've found! Thank you!
Thank you! I’m glad you dug it!
Oh. My. Gosh. You are the first person to explain odd time signatures that actually makes sense. I don't think that previous sentence made a great deal of sense but... LOL. I overthink my English grammar sometimes! But, seriously, thank you!!
Another great lesson Jay! I find your teaching principles are very easy for me to follow. I've always tended to break down odd time signatures into smaller chunks i.e. 1-2 1-2 1-2-3 for seven. But I definitely dig your approach, it's a very cool method. Counting odd time while still feeling that common time pulse. Very cool method!
Absolutely and Thank you! There are many ways to feel it... So there is nothing wrong with subdivided and sometimes that makes more sense. But this is the way I like the best. It makes the odd-meter not seem so intimidating so I can focus more on making music instead of counting.
@@Thedrummersalmanac I will definitely be incorporating your technique into my practice time.
I used to do the exact same thing and would try and make crazy long and weird signatures!
great video.. I'm a guitarist actually just looking to improve playing odd times awesome video
Thank you I've always had a hard way of dissecting odd time signatures. I now have to knowledge and purpose to use constant repetition to learn odd times.
That dramatic pause at 6:11, odd silence with odd stares
"...one? it's one, right?"
Really great breakdown. It's strange how with drumming you can take a time signature or beat, rudiment, whatever. And all it takes is a slight adjustment in the way you think about it and it just CLICKS. And then you're like 'why was I struggling with this?' 😁
Thank you very much sir!!! I have never even took the time to learn about time signatures. Mainly out of fear, but thank you so much for this great lesson. It is started to make sense to me and am excited to add this to my repertoire.
I was taught early on to break odd time signatures into their smallest pieces: twos and threes. I feel it helps when tracks start moving quicker to feel the pulses this way. Love how you approach it, too!
It’s certainly not wrong… but you do get a different feel that way. In some situations, that also makes way more sense. So context is very important.
I often play odd times but just didn’t know what they were Like Pink Floyd Money and some jazz tunes, but having learning disabilities and slightly dyslexic with ADD makes it a little challenging for me to figure out, but this did help me a little! Thanks plus I had a late start playing drums more frequently, I’m 70-years young😄🤘🏻🥁
I keep coming back to watch this because I learn somthing new each time!
Jay you are a great teacher, Thanks!
I can almost follow all this... need to really re-watch and write out what your putting down.
The best way to learn something is through repetition!
Best explanation
Darren Ong ...thanks Darren. Glad you dug it!
Definitely a very good explanation on odd time signatures! Thank you for helping with odd time signatures even as a bassist!
That’s because bass is a percussion instrument, like piano and guitar.
This is exactly how I think about odd time signatures. 29/16 is super fun. Weirdly enough I relate it to 7/8. It’s like adding a 32nd note to the last beat of a 7/8 bar. So one first needs to feel the 7/8 like a 4/4 as you explained. In that respect it would be like a bar of 4/4 with 3 less 32nd notes. But it’s all dependent on the tempo. You just play the tempo that matches up to a normal feel just like you did when you matched the 7/8 to 4/4.
Bravo Benjamin …love the thought process
Thanks for the tip. Its also cool that if you keep the quarter note going over the bar line with either of these odd times, the quarter note always plays on the down beat the first time around and on the upbeat the second time around.
Like Vinnie on St Augustine in Hell from Ten Summoners Tales!
Hands down the best rhythm lesson on RUclips, thank you sir!
You've made something that seemed v difficult easy to understand! Thank you!
You are very welcome 🙏 thanks for checking it out
Nice that you made a video about odd time signatures. I play, sing and dance a lot to music with an odd time signature (mostly Greek music). Just for your information. Dancers indeed often count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 with music in 4/4, but this covers 2 measures (bars), so the first measure is 1, 2, 3, 4 and the next measure is 5, 6, 7, 8. Salsa music is mostly written in 4/4, but in that case the clave is written over two bars. To dance correctly to salsa music, you need to know where the clave starts. Otherwise a dancing figure can start at the wrong moment, so for example not at the start of the chorus. Salsa (on one) dancers often count 1, 2, 3, -, 5, 6, 7, - , because they mostly don't step on the counts 4 and 8. The Viennese waltz is in 3/4, but dancers count mostly 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 over two measures.
I like how you change 4/4 to 7/8, since then you start from a time signature that everybody knows and a little later you can play in 7/8. However, the next step is to learn about grouping. If you see 7/8 as 4/4 with the end of count 4 deleted, you will always end up with the grouping 2-2-3, because you are used to the accent on count 3 in 4/4 time, since 4/4 is grouped 2-2. Converting 4/4 to 8/8 gives the grouping 4-4. Removing 1/8 gives the grouping 4-3 and thus 2-2-3. A lot of 7/8 music (for example Kalamatianos) is grouped 3-2-2. When you want to play along to music with an odd time signature, it is very important to understand what the grouping is. This is often very easy to hear, since you hear an accent at the start of each group and the first group has the biggest accent. You can count easily 7/8 with a 3-2-2 grouping by counting 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 1, 2. Everytime that you say 1, there is an accent. Of course you know this, but just for other people that read this.
Absolutely... And thanks for thought process for "dancers" ... Very intersting. As far as groupings... as in 223... vs 322 or 232... all of these are important depending on the situation, and style of music. That is, if the music itself is grouped that way. But it's not true for EVERY situation. I've played Greek weddings where the accents are heavily pushing those groups... in that situation it's great... but if you are in, say a funkier jazz vibe, those groups are not necessarily where the time is felt. So you have to pick your spots. Thanks for that awesome breakdown!
Thanks for your fast reply. Yes, you are right, depending on the music, the accents can also be at different places. Nice that you have also played at Greek weddings! My favorite Greek rhythm is Zeibekiko which is mostly in 9/4 (grouping mostly 2-2-2-3). Keep up the good work!
@@dansblad …yes… it was tough. I was subbing for a friend… I was reading the whole time. There was a ton of odd times. I was honestly relieved when it was over. Lol
@@Thedrummersalmanac
That was brave of you! When you are not familiar with Greek music, it is difficult. Probably you have also played "Ωραία που είναι η νύφη μας", which is a famous Greek wedding song (Kalamatianos, 7/8, 3-2-2). And yes, in Greek music, 4/4 is the exception. When I started learning Greek rhythms, it was hard. Luckily now it feels as normal as 4/4 and I have learned (just like you) that odd time signatures are not difficult. It is just that you have to get used to them.
@@dansblad …like anything, right!? with time, it becomes comfortable. I probably did that song… I couldn’t really tell ya now. All I know is… I got through it.
This helped alot. Thank you🙌🏾
Tj music you are welcome 🙏
Guitar player digging into odd time sigs. Thanks!
Awesome! Hope you got something out of it.
@@Thedrummersalmanac You bet I did. Helps a lot. I usually break odd time sigs into groups of 2's, 3's, and 4's depending on the time sig, but your idea gives a different perspective on the beat accent and way of thinking about it. Thanks.
@@Dorian2ification you are most welcome
@@Thedrummersalmanac Another guitarist who learned a lot from this well-thought-out video. Thank you. I take back all the 'drummer' jokes...
@@paulcoleman3081 ha! Thanks
This video will be forever in my rotation. Great job explaining!!
OMG - This is genius. I was that robotic drummer...Thanks so much
This is enlightening for a noob like me. Thank you a ton sir!
Your lessons easy to understand and follow. Thank you :)
Brilliant video man- you've got a new subscriber here-! Any particularly good songs to start with that you recommend in 7/8/with prominent 7/8 parts?
You can find odd times in every genre... Check out Sting's 10 Summoners Tales. There's a tune called "St. Augustine in Hell" and tune "Love Is Stronger Than Justice" ...both in 7/8. If you wanna rock out a little bit more... Alice in Chains has a tune called "Them Bones" that is in 7/8. If you go more progressive there are tons of Rush tunes like "Subdivisions" and "Tom Sawyer."
A lot of Greek music is in 7/8. Here are some examples that you can find easily on RUclips.
Καλαματιανός (3-2-2)
θαλασσάκι μου - Γιάννης Πάριος
Μήλο μου κόκκινο - Γλυκερία
Βάρκα στο γυαλό - Κωστής Μαραβέγιας
Παράπονό μου - Νίκος Βέρτης
Παραμύθι με λυπημένο τέλος - Μίλτος Πασχαλίδης
Τικ τρομαχτόν (2-2-3)
Σο χορόν το τρομαχτό - Κώστας Καραπαναγιωτίδης
Σο κιφαλιμ κατ’ λαλεί - Στάθης Νικολαΐδης
If you like more modern music in odd time, you can search for Zeibekiko songs. The Zeibekiko is very popular in Greece. It is mostly in 9/4 (mostly 2-2-2-3). Here are some examples, but you can find hundreds more by searching "zeibekika mix" in RUclips. Keep in mind that there exist a lot of different Zeibekiko styles.
Ζεϊμπέκικο (2-2-2-3)
Φεύγοντας - Πασχάλης Τερζής
Μέχρι το τέλος - Νατάσσα Μποφίλιου
Μη με ρωτάτε - Νότης Σφακιανάκης
Φεγγάρι - Νατάσα Θεοδωρίδου
Εγώ τα σπάω - Πέγκυ Ζήνα
Παλιόκαιρος - Πασχάλης Τερζής
Outstanding. Thanks for making this. Don't even have drums - just been guessing how to count to Tool songs for about 15 years haha.
Thank you It is all about how to think and count Bravo
You are welcome 🙏
Thanks. You have helped a soul RN❤️
So glad to help!!!
1:14 the smile after the joke made me crack up lol
Dad joke’s on full display. Lol
It works! Thanks maaan for your help! ❤
super cool way to think about it. loved this way of teaching. keep rocking
Great lesson!
Incredibly helpful thank you so much
Very helpful! Thanks matey! ;) 👍 South Tyneside Orchestra makes me play such complicated time signatures! I’m their 1st trombonist.
Great lesson. I play some songs from heart, the endings go into a "weird" section. Need help desciphering an odd time section and how to get through it.
Thanks again!
This way of thinking about it is great, thank you!
You are welcome... I hope it helps... It certainly helped me over the years.
great video! Can't wait for more videos like this! you just gained a subscriber
Thank for the Sub Andrew! and welcome
This is awesome
Ty, underrated channel. Great info
Thanks, Sanjay... I appreciate that... tell RUclips. 😂
This was great man. I cannot thank you enough.
Glad I could help
Jesus christ...
You open my mind sir❤.
Thankyou 🙏😢
Good video. Suport from argentina
I actually understood this!
Thanks a lot!
Actually so helpful. Thanks man
You are very welcome 🙏
how did i miss this video? thank you
That was dope
TQ so much
thanks man
This is a gold lesson ! How can I contact you ?
You can get me through my website: thedrummersalmanac.com/contact
Money and Take Five are odd enough for me. I like 3/4, straight 4/4, and swinging 4/4.
Great videos though. Thank you
Are you sure that 4/4 and 8/8 are the same just because they have the same amount of 8th notes. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the pulse of 8/8 time 2 compound beats and one simple beat?
This is cool! Thanks for this video. I learn a lot.
You are welcome
Love your video
Jeffrey Page thank you, sir...
This is great thank you
you are welcome
This really helped me understand dream theaters music a little more😂
I alway been into drum and bass (I apologise, it was the 90s raves). I always used to count. My question is do you really count? After a while so t you just feel the time and the counting is just intuitive and just felt by the music. Obviously I'm not an expert but I genuinely do not need to count, is this normal?
I've never been taught about music it just natural, I think all teachers over complicate timing. Am I off here?
can you play some short clips/tracks as samples & maybe mix some as subdivisions to understand the changes while playing?
I am sure I can make that happen.
I'm just getting into drumming and notes/time sigs so forgive me here but as I understand it, all of these fractions and numbers are primarily a language simply used to communicate drum beats. That's it. The actual playing has nothing to do with it. I mean, who doesn't understand the concept of a beat and how it can go faster or slower and be consistent and organized? You are interchanging time signatures here as a way of simplifying them so as to get the player to focus more on the actual playing rather than getting stuck on the language. And that is great and all, as I can certainly relate to the problem of overthinking and loosing the essence of what you're actually trying to do - play a nice beat (your dancing reference is appropriate as dancers also can get stuck in their heads and loose the basic joy of dancing). But wouldn't all of this interchanging and adaptation make it so that you've rendered the language that's supposed to be able to communicate playing the drums, in the absence of actually playing the drums, useless? And so, then what's the point of the language? Again, I'm just starting out but this is my take.
Not at all... the language is not meant to be "complicated" for the sake of being complicated. If you look at classical music... there are odd time, mixed meter phrased and measures all over the place. they are there to serve the music. The moral of this lesson is basically to not approach an Odd Time signature with the mindset that "It's complicated" or "it's Difficult" ...If you do... that's how it will feel to you and sound to everyone else.
I lovee playing odd time on drums
Ive tried 5/8, 39/16, 7/8 and many others
NICE
nice video boss
Thx 🙏
That makes do much fucking sense!!!
I just count as 1-2 1-2 1-2-3 or whatever the odd time is. Works easy for me.
Interesting, but what about counting 7/8 as: 1,2,3,1,2,3,4? Same with 5/4: 1,2,1,2,3...
I never understood the problem... I just feel it... yes, you have to have a grip on things so you can have a conversation with your guitarist, but throw it at me and I get it. Hope that saved someone 15 minutes, because this video made it seem more complicated
Here’s the challenge with that... coming here and basically saying “I’m very talented so I don’t see the problem.” Assumes everyone else is just like you. That’s not how drums work. People that are super talented are The exception not the rule. When I get a student that’s super talented, great! But most people have to break it down. 😉
The opening groove sounds like a 7/4. Please what's the difference between the two. That's 7/4 and 7/8
The only real difference between 7/8 and 7/4 is what it looks like on paper because Time signature has nothing to do with tempo. But an easier way to think about it is... if you play the two time signatures back to back at the same tempo. Then your count would double when you get to 7/8. It’s the same relationship between 4/4 and 8/8 in my example in this video. One measure of 7/4 is the same amount of time as 2 measures of 7/8.
so 7/8 means there are 7 eighth bits per bar simply
Yes, each measure must add up to to 7 eighth notes.
What if I told you... I'm still fucking confused.
What if I told you... What you're telling me is going over my head
What if I told you... I'm a fucking idiot
18 months later, and it's still an 'odd time'.
I'm confused.
Me to band on saying this is 4 to the floor :"Really?! Do I have to?" "No actually it's 13/8 actually - it's Prog dude we use fours ironically - got yer" Me: - smile - A*******s!
Hahaha 👍🏻
The whole world makes sense now
The coronavirus joke tho 😂😂
13:38 ðey played ðus music at my 8þ grade pacer test
How to practice 5-lets and 7-lets?
I can do that for you
Overthinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind.
I love you
Don’t they call it “sub division” ?
For the love of God, please drop the background drum track…… It’s pure chaos while trying to listen to you….
Wow!!
+1 subscribed
Greetings from Brazil 👊
Awesome welcome to the club, Rafael
8/8 is not equal to 4/4 . Its an odd time meter and it has 3 accents and countains two compound beats and one simple beat and it counts like this : 123 123 12 or 123 12 123 or ...
8/8 is absolutely equal to 4/4. You can break it up as you did, but who said it HAS to be. Likewise. 4/4 can be felt just like that: 1&2 &3& 4& or 1&2 &3 &4& ...either way the only thing that is different is what you are physically counting. Time signatures are not rhythm. No time signature if absolute. They can all be interpreted and anything can be written or counted in any time signature. People just tend to use the most obvious and logical ones.
Excellent breakdown and explanation of 5/7/9! I use this exact method to teach odd times! I also use this method of using 4/4 as the model for other time signatures as well! Great video, subscribed!
Thanks for the Sub! Yeah... I think the biggest issue with drummers and Odd times is this head, where they make it so complicated and difficult... they put things like 7/8 on this technical pedestal.
@@Thedrummersalmanac I agree totally. It was at a Vinnie coliauta masterclass that I learned this system that you are also teaching!
@@drumteacher43 We are all certainly in good company with Vinnie... lol
I just count up to the dang number. I play a beat that fits in it.
I can't focus on what you're saying. All I can hear is the drumming background ughhhh
meshuggah BROKEN DOWN PLEASE
aaaaaaahhhhhhh genious! thats a good way!😁 thanks!
There’s playing odd time signatures then there’s playing Danny Carey’s time signatures 💀
edit: they are not fun to learn but fun to play